Revenge

A Friend in Need
Tenerife… Dana decided to go to Tenerife for vacation. This idea  had  grown  up  at once in Dana’s  mind not as a dream,  something  like a fairy-tale, but rather as a somewhat childish will to travel to one of the most  gorgeous places on Earth,  prove that  she can   reach her dream   though  it could be hard to do…   
She  simply called a travel agency and found out that that very day she could buy out two tickets for herself and a friend for a very cheap price.
So  who will be the second person?    It cannot be George because she  has  broken up with him.  Sad to recall that. But unfortunately  one can’t rewind what is done.  Very sorrowful…  Well. Well. Well.  She will go with an old friend.  Cynthia  was her classmate, and they stayed friends  even after  the school  was finished.
Certainly  she  has to invite Cynthia  who  loves travelling, enjoys adventures and she is a true friend. She’ll   agree  going.  And… first  she would be glad to hear  Dana, and second,   Dana  would  propose  her to accompany her in an interesting trip which  was, even more,  much    less expensive.
After a short discussion they came to a mutual agreement.
And so did they go.  In a week a comfortable plane  was carrying them to the Canaries. The way was rather a long one, but they could  spend  time watching  films or looking through  magazines.  Dana   simply preferred looking through the small plane window and at the clouds  below they were passing.  Cynthia  was  sleeping or pretending   she was .
She   did not  like  flying  and her friends knew that, although  some of them  had  the same fear.  Dana looked through the small plane window, and suddenly her sight was captured  by a  small object quickly passing  beneath. It was another plane, flying  it’s own rout. The picture was fantastic.  Dana touched  Cynthia’s  shoulder as  she was sure of her not sleeping, but  just pretending to.  Cynthia turned away  her head    and slightly waved her hand…Absolutely indifferent.  As  the  girls  were in the middle of the flight  they decided to eat something. The flight attendant, a very handsome  man in his forties, gently smiling, brought each of them an appetizing  piece of fish, fried potato and tomato in a plane plastic container.  Dana looked at fish and immediately got disappointed:
 -Sorry but I don’t eat fish. Do you have anything else?
Now it was his turn to be disappointed.
-Why didn’t you tell that you don’t eat fish?  Wait a minute. I’ll bring
you something vegetarian from the business class.
 He left immediately and came back with another dish of salad and told Dana  with a smile, that they were landing soon and the salad would be enough to survive.  Meanwhile Cynthia was surviving. Her fish was delicious and she herself got happier.   
…So here they are.  The weather   warm, the sky blue  and all around  so bright and vivid  that  it seemed to them,  that they had  suddenly appeared in a fairy -tail.
After placing   their  stuff   the girls  decided to examine  the  beach.  While  they were  looking at the landscape and reflecting on where  they   move  further, Cynthia  jumped into the water and swam.  She  was swimming  fast.  Several meters there and back     and  she  was already  getting out of the water when Dana  met her  on  the beach  going to get a swim  too. 

 Cynthia   was  rather  tall. Nice to people she  liked or respected, or to  friends.  So  sometimes  pleasant, sometimes rough.
They  were  walking   along  a  narrow road talking about something very unimportant when a young   handsome man suddenly appeared in front of  them.  They  stopped for a second – which was the effect he wanted, but Cynthia  calmly moved further. He looked surprised:
- Good afternoon!
- Good afternoon!
It was easy to guess what kind of  words would follow, so  Cynthia didn’t  stop.  She knew that he had some goods to sell. She never paid attention to such things and people as well as to many other.
Several days   passed.  Strangely  enough.  But  they  remembered  that cold  windy morning very well. Maybe   appeared unbelievably   revelating or so. After a usual swim that morning Dana advised to go to a small café not far  away  and so they  went.  The girls occupied a small table standing outside  the café  under  a huge umbrella and ordered juice. They could go inside the café.  But Cynthia insisted on sitting outside. The wind seemed to grow. The  umbrella was  shaking ,  and Dana  simply got frozen but Cynthia had almost stopped Dana who was going to get  inside.
There was a choice for them whether to go inside and sit in a small room or enjoy fresh  air outside.  Dana preferred the first option as it was windy, but Cynthia desperately insisted on enjoying the open air, let it be in the wind. And who knows why she was so strong in her wish...  She had always tried to prove something  to somebody and to fight for the truth as she understood it.  Be it  herself  and let it be no use in her wishes or ideas. And Dana knew that.
The idea of friendship was rather a philosophical subject. The reflecting character  was sure that he or she was and had to be in the centre.
So they sat at a tiny plastic table outside and ordered juice.
As they  were  talking  the wind grew stronger.  Dana felt that it would be better simply to get up and leave and  not to struggle with the impossible like captain Ahab with the whale in “Moby Dick”. But Cynthia insisted on staying.
So the salty wind from the sea had finally got strong enough  and  dropped  Dana’ s glass,  breaking  it  into small pieces, which cut Dana’s fingers and palms, when she tried to collect them.  Cynthia who had ignored Dana when she pointed at the umbrella shaking from the wind, didn’t pay any attention even to the broken glass. She had tried to be a winner in her life. Or at least she struggled to win. Finally they decided to leave and asked for the bill. Dana had to pay
 more because of the broken glass, and well... she  did pay.
   Time passed. Two friends returned to their jobs, sometimes  they  met to go out or to  play tennis. Everything went right  but then Dana  made a terrible  mistake.
Once at her job appeared a young  man, neither handsome nor simply nice. Somewhat you cannot  call even close to attractive.  It was something  unpleasant in his appearance.  His name was Adolf Weib. And he started  courting  her. Theatre, cinema,  flowers.  She knew he was not her kind…
Very far from her interests , he had never heard of the books she loved, but  he simply made his goal to get a smart girl.
She still refused  him, but then he thought he would  get her interested, made her a proposal she wouldn’t  refuse.  And so he  told  her he would go in for sports… very original… And Dana immediately got interested.

He  was absolutely  useless and  even more one could call him inadequate.
His name  Adolf  Weib  fit him very well.  He could  hide himself  behind  it.  It really fit him, it  was so good for him... He  did  behave  himself  like a woman, sometimes  like a hysterical  old lady.
Dana liked to do risky things, but she knew that what she was doing  was safe and she would never have done a really  dangerous  thing.  Adolf was so irritating.  She  stayed calm.
It  seemed  so,  but  Dana would never even bear in mind that an awkward  clumsy  thick creature  would be the one who would  stop the  happy course of her life.
  But that had  happened...
Adolf  was standing near the entrance to her house. He was the last person she would  like to see there. He awkwardly  hurried  to her.
-Hi, sweet!  Don’t tell me  you are not happy  to see me!
- I’d say no and farewell!
- I know you’re always glad to see me.
Dana  stepped forward.
- I am busy.
- What is holding you?  I haven’t seen you in the sports!
Adolf had  brought  Dana to studies of the sword  battle which she liked first, but then thought  the sport was rather cruel and decided to leave it ignoring the promises  of the trainer and the group  that it was absolutely safe.
Adolf  paused and then  continued:
-What  are your  plans?
-I am trying to be polite.
- Well. Being polite is not your manner  and  I am afraid   you’ll never succeed.
- All right.
 Adolf tried to make a sort of  smile, but didn’t succeed and the picture was rather pitiful...  Dana turned to leave, but Adolf stopped her  showing  Dana a small book he produced from his jacket.
- Read this!
- Do I have to?
- Take the book. You’d like it.
Dana  looked  through the book.
- What is this?
-You  must  read  it!
Dana saw the title and suddenly got a strong wish to throw the book into his head. Adolf looked as a surprised child.
The girl  was embarrassed and while  thinking of her future actions she managed  to see with the corner of her eye Adolf opening the book and slightly licking his lips. She recalled how aunt Delia in Woodhouse’s novel   threw the book to Berty’s  head. She told him goodbye and left  leaving the surprised man alone.
 Several hours passed, and the disappointment was only growing.  Dana knew that this so-called new friend  was inadequate.
As soon as she had closed the room of her flat the phone rang, Dana did not take the receiver.
Simply did not want to make any spare movement. The  disappointment was strong and she just  needed to  talk to a human being.  Ignoring the phone which was  still constantly ringing Dana took her  cell phone and called Cynthia.
They haven’t seen each other for  some time maybe because they both were busy or there was some other reason, nobody knows.   They had to discuss the situation, to meet and probably decide whether to go to the sports or not.  Dana told Cynthia that she considered it was  safe to struggle together,   
because you know each other and   you are sure  that your partner  will not accidentally  harm you or which was also  possible  do it on purpose.

Though   the weather was not really for breathing fresh air and walking  somewhere   in the small  park nearby as it started  raining.  So Dana proposed her friend to take a car and in more or less comfortable conditions to go and spend time doing something healthy. And they both had taken their safe wooden swords  (safe as they were promised). Safe as Adolf had  sworn   Dana and as all members of the group   had promised,   as well.  It  seemed doubtful, but yes – one always wants to believe that the danger may avoid him even if it seems to be real. And therefore it can’t be possible.
And that day everything was fine... It was time to go to sword battle training.
Adolf was among others looking at Dana and as she thought analysing all her  movements.
The trainer was young,  but a professional, noticing every false movement.
Yes, everything was safe or it seemed so.
There was another trainer... He was very unsympathetic, even looked savage,  like a gangster, but maybe he was looking simply frightening.
- The training, so-called sword  battle, was not long, so they enjoyed first learning something new and then practicing  new hits  and then the battle.
- Well,  it was safe and there were almost no accidents, no blood, that is almost. Surely once somebody told Dana that he saw a young man in the  gim  who was leaving it rather calmly. But still all in blood. Surprisingly, but what can one do  to make himself to believe that it was still safe.
- After the training was over and Dana  left the changing room she met Adolf who was hasting to her. She knew that he wanted a chance...
- So, does  he   deserve forgiveness?
He ran up to Dana, breathing hard, tired of the exhausting run. Came very close to her, so close that she felt his hot breath near her face almost like fire. He breathed out:
-I hurried to catch you!
- Was there any need for the hunt?
There were sarcastic notes in her voice. But Adolf either did not pay any attention to her words  or tried to show that he did not.
-Have you read the book I gave you yesterday?
-You may guess that I haven’t.
Dana turned to go, but Adolf came up very close to her and although she pushed  him  from her way hugged and tried to kiss her.
Dana stepped back a little  shocked by the kiss so disgusting  to her mind and stumbled . There was a small pond very close. The girl was fully aware of it, but Adolf  just thought she would make another step behind which she  didn’t. He  became  scared and screamed. Dana looked at him.
- Are you  O’K.?  You have frightened me!
 By the way,  you were  wiping your lips.
- So what?
-It is impolite...
- I see you don’t  love  me.
- Positive!
- You will... after we get married!
- I doubt it.
What exactly I doubt is that we can ever get married and that I can ever fall in love with you!
And  Dana turned and left  Adolf alone near the small pond.
Dana didn’t  make a couple of small steps – small  as she felt she might offend Adolf simply  leaving him without any explanation,  but she still felt somewhat like  pity for the guy who swore he loved her which she knew wasn’t true, but he looked so unhappy  even slightly howling. And still she paused.  Heavy steps behind became closer. And he took Dana’s wrists.
- I thought you’ll stay, but if you are not really cross with me...
- So what if I am?
And she was simply tired of him. Just wanted  to have a normal, adequate man near her. And wanted  to get rid of that nightmare nearby.
- Listen, I... I wanted to tell... Some friends... I will have some friends  to ...  I want you to see my friends. You will love them.
Dana was surprised, but still asked:
- Who are they? Will I fit  the company?
- My best friend, his wife and some other friends. I am sure you will love -Honoria and you will become great chums.
Dana tried to smile, but without any sincerity.  The smile was rather fake.  She started feeling sorry and didn’t even know why.
I can come. But I don’t have even a slightest idea why I should.
- Please do! My friends are eager to meet you.
- Why? Do they know anything about me?
- They will be happy to see my girlfriend.
Dana waited long enough.
-And who is she?  Will she be there? I’d love to see this...  sorry...  I’ll try to come.
She smiled and looked right  into his eyes.
-Let’s meet then!
 Adolf met her at the bus stop as he had promised. He had no car.   And simply couldn’t drive, was  desperately afraid of driving,  and  often screamed  like an old lady while sitting on the passenger seat.  He also told Dana, that his first wife insisted on him learning to drive and he refused: “I will be exhausting myself driving hard  and  she  will  be sitting there  thinking that she is so beautiful!”
And he did not have children with any of his wives.
That ‘s why Dana  was not driving in his presence  being afraid of scaring him.    Adolf lived with his parents  the only people who could stand him.   
Once Dana  tried to seat  on the sofa  in his flat and  immediately jumped up as Adolf had put the pot   with  porridge under the blanket on that sofa to keep it warm.
...So they entered the flat and there were no guests yet. 
The door ring announced the first guest. And it was Adolf’s school mate with a bunch of roses which  he immediately gave Dana. He was  tall  handsome and very  polite.
Next came another one with his wife Homoria.
Dana recognized her without introduction – Adolf’s  description was  enough.  Yes. She was nice, not  beautiful though and extremely confident.
Dana was exhausted after the first hour of her talk and tried to escape to the balcony.  No success – Honoria reached her there and continued endless love  stories of her friends real and so on.  And as Honoria  was constantly smoking while telling her stories, Dana who had smoked only a couple of times before thought that the moment had come and took a cigarette which Honoria  gladly proposed her.
So during their talk the balcony  door  had  opened   and someone  looked into the balcony. 
Honoria  saw that it was her husband  and started describing him to Dana.  As Dana  found out  he was  very shy and  his wife   used this quality  when she needed. 
So he asked   whether they would like some tea.  Honoria answered immediately that they were positive, threw the cigarette from the balcony and rushed for tea.
 
The table was great,  Adolf’s mother worked on the salad, the hot dishes  and the cake.
Dana noticed immediately that it was Honoria’s  favourite  meal. 
Finally  the group  gathered at the table. Honoria was playing the part of the mistress. Dana thought that the word mistress was so good for that play as she was not sure that the word  was to mean the woman, playing the part of the hostess only.
 And here the  best word would be that Dana  herself had  remained merely Zuschauer  -  a person   described by Arthur Schopenhauer,  merely  a  spectator of the world show who  watches it and reflects.
So after the dinner was eaten and various drinks, which Adolf had ordered specially in the expensive shops,  were drunk  the guests went downstairs to relax.
Downstairs was a small yard  and a table  for tennis.
Dana  was eager to play as she loved it. She was a perfect  tennis and table tennis player and wanted to show Adolf   the high level of her skill.   She came up to the table where Adolf was already standing  ready to play. The girl  thought she would start playing immediately but in vain.
 Honoria was the first  to play and certainly the partner appeared not to be her husband.

Dana thought she might let them enjoy the game as  they had  so much fun!  They were like two children who had  completely forgotten  everything around  them.
That pair seemed to  exist there alone on the whole planet. And a planet was a desert.
Dana was not really irritated first  and decided to wait a little until the game was over.   And  she calmly waited. The time passed. First ten minutes. Then twenty. Then...
Adolf was so inadequately active in that innocent play that Dana really started  worrying  about him. She could not believe that Honoria whom she thought  really average  could charm or bewitch Adolf.  And maybe their “warm  friendship”  had a long story?  And understanding that waiting would be hopeless and even shameful for her, she  turned away and left.
No reaction. Was Dana  expecting  it?  Certainly not. But she had expected something like that.

And while going back home Dana  still hoped that Adolf would follow her, stop her and beg for forgiveness and prove that it all was a terrible mistake.
But no way. There were no steps behind. No hard breath, nothing.
She understood that it was impossible to stay with a bastard, a man for whom betrayal  was nothing   and slowly  she went.  On the way  the girl meditated on how comic so called love  could   be and which was more interesting whether Honoria  would  let  Adolf  live with his  prospective  wife. It might be questionable.

Striking!  And it was hard to say anything when you are betrayed for no reason.  And you suddenly face an ugly mixture of hypocrisy  and “love”.  Parody of love  shown to  you  and humble attempts to court...  And suddenly there appears a company which you should join and the people  you    must make your friends.  The people that shock you.  And you just cannot make friends to a hore who tells about her  private  life to the very first person she sees. No!
And Dana entered her flat.
The only thing she had expected had happened.  Adolf had  at last noticed her absence and called, but she hated to hear his voice. She would call Cynthia who would understand.
So she took her cell phone while the  home one was desperately ringing.
Cynthia  was happy to hear her. Glad to hear  the story and, yes, she agreed that Dana shouldn’t  answer the home phone. But still go somewhere and relax.
As they both enjoyed horse riding,  they decided to go somewhere   to  rent  a horse and that would  be some  enjoyment   which would make Dana  forget   the shock  so painful for  her.
And  they did  go. The friends  had to wait for a free horse to ride on. All the horses were engaged.
A  red stallion had just arrived and was calmly standing and waiting for anybody  to come.
Dana had a quick thought that the horse might be too much  phlegmatic. But how wrong   was she.
As soon as she  got on the horse and  checked that everything was fine, a small boy seemed to appear from nowhere just in front of the horse’s head.
Dana stopped the animal which had already started   moving  slowly as she was afraid that the boy might be injured.  He  looked right into Dana’s eyes and started saying something so quickly and with such a poor pronunciation  that it was almost impossible to get the meaning.
- I want to feeth  “the horthy!”
Dana  was a little surprised.
- But I want to give him a piece of  “thugar!”
-Well. I give up. Go ahead!
At  that  very moment Dana  noticed   that  after the boy  gave  the horse a dirty greasy  piece of sugar from his pocket   he  ran away and vanished as quickly as he had appeared.  She looked up and  saw a  man in shades.
The  horse  startled  and  neighed  nervously, and  turning her head again Dana,   didn’t  see that   strange man  in shades anymore, he had vanished.  The horse  began to run unexpectedly. Being  a good horse rider Dana put all her efforts  to stop the animal.  Cynthia  could not  be seen or even felt anywhere around.
This could  last  for ages  until the horse had  stumbled  and    fell to the ground almost carrying Dana with  himself.
Dana  quickly  realised  that  the danger was  enormous and jumped.
Mud was better if expected than   an unexpected fall to the solid ground.
She had wiped the blood   from her face. But still it was not a tragedy.
Dana looked around as she was mainly wondering  what had happened to the horse.
Before she fell from  a  horse rarely, only once or twice in her life. So that case  was an exclusive one. Not to say exceptional  or, even more, suspicious.
Meanwhile she saw a groom  coming up to her.
Turning to him Dana had also glanced to the place where she had seen the man in shades. The bench was empty.
 She could only address the person who came up to her and  was really surprised by the quick answer he  gave.
- Do  you know...  There was... a man in shades...  I am really embarrassed to ask you because I am almost sure that you will not understand me,
but I am surprised  that he is not here anymore.
-  Why are you surprised? Strange...   He said that he would find you right here. And I am  surprised  as he seemed to be really shocked when you fell from the horse and  almost jumped up from his place. Then stepped forward,  suspiciously  giggled  as it  seemed to me and quickly ran away.
 I have never imagined that a man  could laugh  in such a strange manner. Looked  like a hysteric  laughter. 
-It must have been Weib.
-You are right then.
The man smiled:
- You know German?
- Yes. But that is his  second name.
  The man noticed  Dana  smiling ironically:
- Do not be shy. That name fits him.  He behaves himself like a woman.
-I do not quite get this. Sorry... Maybe  this is because I mainly communicate  with horses...
He smiled again shyly.
- I guess you should be really happy.
And Dana tried to smile:
- Tell me one more thing. Probably  you have noticed...Maybe anybody was near him?
The man tried to smile again.
- There was a  rather strange boy who was running around and giving sugar or something  to the horses.
-And you did not try to stop him...
-I did. But he ran away quickly.
- He   made his way right after your horse.
- I see.
Dana  attempted to give him some money. The man protested. But she  insisted:
- Buy something to the horse as a compensation.
- I  shouldn’t  give  anything to the horse. He deserves no compensation.
- He had stress and that is the reason for some moral compensation.
And with these words Dana turned and  went back.
Right on the way out she met Cynthia who was meditating on her future actions.
Seeing  Dana the  girl screamed and grabbed Dana’s hands:
-You’ve scared me! That’s terrible! Your face is in blood!
-Big deal!
Dana wiped her face with a handkerchief:
-Let’s  move  and watch the second act of the play!
So now the answer appeared by itself and they both went to their homes.
 The impressions for that day were more than enough indeed. Enough  fun. Enough adrenalin.  Enough stress.
The  future  promised to be less stressful. But only promised.
In a couple of days  Dana was sitting in a comfortable armchair reading  Theodore Dreiser’s  “Sister Carrie”, thinking of  the suspicious accident and  trying to relax. At that time the  phone  rang. Cynthia  who  first  wanted to make sure  that Dana    was  absolutely  fine,  invited    to join her  for the sword battle.  Dana made a short pause and answered easily:
- I don’t mind. But...
- I really hope that you don’t  think that anybody could harm you...  This is really... really stupid.
- I know.
Cynthia’s  voice was harsh and clear: 
-I know  you’ll  be safe.
Cynthia sounded surprised and    as   it seemed to Dana a bit irritated.
Dana only had to answer:
-Well. But...
-Don’t be afraid. Don’t be silly  as we are struggling together. No one could possibly hit you, I  hope you trust me...  We have a great trainer and he is very safe too. Do trust him. And Dana answered. Not at once though:
-All right. Let’s meet today.
 Not trusting anyone  even herself Dana got up from the armchair.

 So they  met as decided  later that day.
Each  had taken her  own car , and so they  appeared in the gym   almost simultaneously.
Battle... It sounds funny. As no one has ever before expected that there the game was not the game and it was the men’s  world . Not for the young girls and certainly not for vengeance.
There were only a few people in the hall.  All in cotton sport kimonos and with wooden swords  katanas. Several people had black belts and therefore were in black.  It was Adolf’s dream to get the black  belt and to prove Dana that he was skilful. His friends and everyone around thought  that he was a real soldier, a true  samurai and therefore deserved  respect. Although to Dana’s mind he simply was a coward- he was afraid of everything that seemed dangerous to him: to ride the horse, to swim, to drive a car, everything...
As they were warming up  doing some small exercises first that Dana  noticed  was the trainer was not there and there was another  one instead, his deputy,   who  also trained them. But... somehow...  not  to say evil or furious.  If the chief was polite, gentle, then the other one was like a gangster.
And Dana had also  noticed that Adolf was not there either.
The battle  started soon after the girls arrived.  Everybody in the gim  joined a partner, everybody was striking   and the partner had to strike back with the  sword.   It was said and promised that everything would be completely safe and there could be no injuries  and surely no victims. But meanwhile there were  times when they were some. Once while entering the gim the girls met a guy whose face was all in blood.  But this was an exclusion. 
...Dana immediately felt danger in the air around her.  She was  struck  by the feeling that something was wrong and not to be trusted.  She had also had that feeling  because Adolf was not there - an exclusive case and then because she knew that Adolf was   really a friend of that trainer and could had described him the story of the “poor deceived guy” and as any weak person could have accused her for breaking up with “poor him”.
Yes. She had the feeling and was completely sure that it would be extremely stupid to use the chance and leave when the trainer asked her to stand in the far corner of the gym  and train some hits whereas he himself started training  Cynthia   right  behind her back. So it was all the same she was doing her steps through the gim constantly looking back and when  her eyes met the trainer’s    he slowed down as if to demonstrate her that there was no danger at all.  Cynthia could not see her.
If the story would be shown in a film the spectators would  say that it was impossible in  real life.

Strangely enough but in spite of staying in a crowded place Dana was alone and no one could see her if only on purpose, if only his goal was to hit her. So Dana was in real danger. But  she was moving sometimes backward,  sometimes when she reached the end of the hall  turned and went the other way.
First she turned to  see whether the couple behind her was all right and then continued  moving.
So the time had come. She relaxed thinking that the situation was under   control and  continued moving  backward.
As   she made a couple of steps again she heard a terrible sound... No. It was not  thunder as she thought. But it was that Dana  had got  a terrible hit in her nape that was unexpected... “He has finally reached me!”- thought she  before fainting.
The hit was unexpected for her but not for at least two people who have carefully planned it and brought into life.  The trainer skilfully achieved what he planned not by hitting himself but making the other person do it,  Dana’s friend.

Days, months and even years had passed since that  terrible accident. And, like in a famous song  ‘collecting her tears’ thinking of   revenge, of a strong wave  that would  sweep him away...  Dana was lying in bed  unable to walk, work and even talk to her friends as they had all suddenly disappeared.   Everyone, including Cynthia...yes, dear Cynthia, her friend in need...
And Dana herself was only lying in bed,   cursing the bastard who had almost killed her... and so let him get it all, all that he deserves. For he deserves nothing but death.

    After that  friends started leaving her.  The friends who were to trust had stayed. But Cynthia   became unreachable  and  stopped   being whatsoever available. Dana knew that Cynthia would appear as soon as she, Dana, gets well. But as it is  clear from the world philosophy people  become forgotten  when  suddenly fall  ill and become useless.
So sitting at home   without friends and surely men who had sworn  in eternal love Dana had found out that Adolf had got married.
Another victim.
And the years passed and Dana  felt that she had recovered  and could  travel again, but who would make her company?
Her friends were married and had children, so she must go alone. After that terrible  illness  she  was happy only because she felt herself a human being again who is free to move everywhere.  She had been to Egypt before. So she had just decided  to go alone somewhere.
Dana  had bought a plane ticket and already in a day she  had   entered the airport,  funny, but the person   who had taken a seat near her was Cynthia.  The girls looked at each other and burst into laughter.               
It appeared that Cynthia was also feeling lonely  and had decided to go somewhere and as it always happened   appeared in the same plane with Dana.
After the plane   landed and the friends  had found their hotel , they decided to look around. But first go  and  have a swim.
And so they did. Dana had a mask for snorkelling and Cynthia preferred swimming   without any  mask.

Dana put on the mask , breathed in and dived. The picture she saw was familiar and fantastic. One would   never forget  but keep  longing for.  So Dana  tried to see all the beauty  she hadn’t seen for a long  time because of her illness. To swallow  with her eyes all the picturesque  things she saw – the corals which formed a wall. Going endlessly down as deep as the eye could follow she saw  various kinds of fishes – very big, small, bright. Simple and sometimes frightening.   So she was almost scared to pass them. And  there were   curious ones swimming very close. But immediately hurrying back as soon as she  tried to reach out for them.
Yes. He was mistaken with the horse idea.  Also next time the trainer had tried to do his best  to send Dana’s  bosom friend to heat her. 


And then there came the day they were waiting for- the girls decided to go on an excursion and see the volcano,  where  they could  go up the mountain to the top, walk and then see  the volcano stones which could  be found only there and seen in the local shop.
 The tourist bus was big and comfortable, going very smooth and fast. The empty road  was comfortable and the trip appeared to be relaxing, the time flew.
Suddenly  the  road made a turn and they saw a volcano in front  of them.
 Highly  impressive.
  But  looking at the top of the mountain and getting the smell of sulphur  Cynthia simply decided to wait for Dana in the bus. To the volcano  Dana and other tourists were brought by a lift elevator.  It was warm.
      Very soon  the elevator stopped on the top.  A very specific  smell   immediately  stroke  the nose.  Dana   understood  why  Cynthia  disliked  that place.  Her capricious character was shown once  when the girls were passing  a boy  who was frying  garlic outside a cafe.
A lot of people dislike garlic.  Strangely  enough  Dana liked the smell  of  fried  garlic. And  Cynthia   almost ran from the  place  quickly escaping.
What Dana saw and felt when she stepped on the solid ground  that is plateau, was smell of sulphur. Specific and strong indicating that the volcano was  a  living one.
 It occurred to be unforgettable. 

  The sky was bright and unbelievably blue and no single soul as if one was on a distant planet. But they were  on  the Earth.  It was an ideal place to hide from  civilization.
  On the top Dana felt that it was very hard to breathe and almost impossible to move fast. The girl was enchanted by the landscape she saw when looking down as well as by snow” stalagmites”- very unusual to see in August. She was walking with a woman   also from their bus, and they both were  very busy watching here and there and looking  at small paths  thinking whether it would take much time to turn this or that path, so when she looked at the watch she saw that the elevator would leave back  in a minute. They had to wait  for the next one…
There when standing on the top of the   volcano Teide  and admiring the extraterrestrial landscape  beneath  Dana  felt  that somebody had gently touched her hand.  She turned to see the person who did this and found  out that it was a handsome young man whom she had seen before... probably...
He smiled at her charmingly  and said something, Dana did not hear mainly,   because  she realised that the  man  talking to her was familiar.   She  recalled that she had really seen him before and that he was the one Cynthia really liked. Yes. She  liked him and...   So Dana  remembered that his name was Hose. Decided  to   talk to him  anyway   feeling that  she should not  be  too much attractive for the sake of friendship.   . 

The picture she had seen from  the top of the volcano had differed much from the one   she noticed before. She  saw the sea  almost coming to the shore and hypnotising with its beauty and magic power.
Near Dana appeared several people who were also enchanted and unable to move or even talk.
   Dana was surprised indeed to see that  extraterrestrial picture.  Very
 beautiful and strange in its nature. Enjoying  the beauty she suddenly recalled Cynthia!
Dana rushed to the  mountain  elevator only to realise that she had spent  a lot of time on the top and the next  descend will be only in several  minutes.
She had to wait then.  While she was waiting she nervously thought about poor Cynthia  who had to suffer alone in the empty bus and had missed all the beauty that Dana saw on the mountain. When the time came, Dana stepped into the mountain elevator and  it moved down. 
Cynthia, poor thing. She had missed so much. Had not seen the things worth seeing! She will regret it,  regret  that she did not go, did not join her.
Sitting in the mountain  elevator and  enjoying the landscape,  slowly passing by Dana  thought that there were so many beautiful places on Earth worth seeing, worth visiting. And one must always  long to see them, to admire them, to know that they  really exist. And not through the car window!   But Cynthia had decided to stay and  see nothing.
When   Dana  descended and  got to the  solid ground   thinking that  her friend was fine, she  saw  anger  more  tough than a real hysteria:
-Sorry,-
Dana’s  voice was  bright and emotional.
Silence.  Dana tried to reach  the understanding, to break through the wall of silence. Cynthia…  just refused to talk to  Dana. For her time was money, and what sense is to talk to  the one who does not understand that. Cynthia looked    insulted.
Well. Well. Well… This appeared to be rather painful to Dana. She has not done anything wrong, her mistake was only in her poetic nature, but there was nothing  for malice and why  should she waste her nerves  for excuses  which would not be listened to.
In this mutual silence they returned to the hotel. Dana was calm-  nothing was to be done , and will soon be forgotten. And so it happened.      
   
Dana and Cynthia were lying on the beach  under warm sun beams,   calm,  gentle,  each  had  her own thought. Cynthia  thought  of a handsome  young man who would appear near her whereas Dana wished that he, handsome and kind, wouldn’t come  that morning.   She   was thinking of Hose and hoping that he would never appear  at least that day, at least not near her,  but...  she opened her eyes and saw him sitting on the  sand right in front of her.
Dana got worried  and looked at Cynthia who was sleeping  or  pretended to be sleeping, but Dana could clearly see and feel that her friend was disappointed and irritated.  Dana  looked at Hose  knowing that her friend could  be deeply offended, just said looking into his warm brown eyes,  said although she knew she would offend him, but she had already offended her best friend...
-You shade me the sun sitting here like this.
Hose smiled  with his gentle smile  and bowed to Dana  saying:
-You will get enough sun when you become my wife.
And he kissed her...
Dana saw the expression of her friend’s face who she knew had never cried or wept, but there...  She had no choice  as it was clear that Hose was a good swimmer  but anyway, she got up from where she was lying, came close to water and dived...   
It was still calm as if nothing has happened, Cynthia was absolutely untouched  as if the story had happened in her absence and far away. Anyway, she  had forced herself to  get up and leave.

Cold water had made the job.  The girls kept on   swimming, and so Dana felt better. Sometimes she even dared to leave her friend swimming  and went to  walk alone.
Dana had always thought that Cynthia was her friend in need. And so it was. It costs a lot if one can trust a friend and rely on him. Yes, certain minor things had happened, but it would have been stupid even to mention that lift by car  when Cynthia  had dropped Dana  far from her house, and so did she – it was normal, but Cynthia preferred not to turn  from the road, and  Dana  always brought  her friend  directly to the entrance of her house.

And meanwhile Cynthia was lying in the sun, trying to get the tan, planning to have a swim and simply relaxing.
Suddenly  she saw that someone had come and stood in front of her shading the sun. It was Adolf. She immediately recalled all Dana’s words and sat on her beach carpet.
It was  unbelievable, but Dana was telling that after she had refused him, he had tried to kill her.  It was some reason in her words... Smart, beautiful  she had a lot of friends and admirers...
Yes. He was mistaken with the horse idea. The trainer had tried to do his best to use her  friend so that she could hit her...

Adolf  bent slowly to her face almost touching her lips. Cynthia became  outrageous as she could not really believe... But she finally made herself just to understand. She turned her head so quickly that Adolf managed to hit  his nose.
- Hot thing!
- I am! What do you want here? Why did you appear here?
- The weather is great... Would you like to go out and bathe in the sea?
Cynthia could not even allow herself a broken smile, all she made herself to produce was some kind of grimace  and  got up.
-Why me?   I thought you  were interested in Dana.
-Dana? No! I don’t need her...
-That’s why you’ve decided to get rid of her?
Adolf’s face grew very surprised and naive.  It seemed that he didn’t understand a word.
-Then wait a minute!
Cynthia had almost run to the bathroom, put on a swimming suit and a light shirt over it and immediately ran out.
To her surprise, as she thought that Adolf was following her,   the room was empty, Adolf had disappeared but the room had  a  scent of expensive perfume which  he used too much.
That was suspicious and Cynthia had opened the door and  quickly left the room.
She  thought that it was an ideal day for swimming.  Looked at the  water-
almost still  and calm.   Taking a deep breath, spread her hands  getting ready to dive into the still water when somebody  put his hands  around her waist. She didn’t turn her head, did not look back as she perfectly  knew who was standing behind. And she also knew that he had almost killed her friend as well  as according to Dana’s words  he couldn’t swim at all.  She hit his leg with her heel and hearing a sound more like a  scream stepped on his foot with all her strength.
Adolf tried to step away. But there was no space for him to move... And  he stayed on his place and tried not to move knowing that he could be  drowned.
So they stayed very close to each other and both Adolf and Cynthia knew that any single move  would  throw  them into  the water which was quite far beneath. Cynthia made a very slight step aside.
Adolf had stopped, probably trying to figure out her next move.
That was enough. They both had lost their  balance  and fell down into the water...
Meanwhile Dana was enjoying  the  rich underwater world .   Suddenly she saw  a group  of  small fishes quickly moving to something and  some substance   near it which had definitely attracted  them.
She had noticed a sporadic movement  in  the sea beauty when all those colour fishes had suddenly moved in different directions making Dana turn away. ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY SHE  SAW  SOMETHING   TOUCHING HER.  LOOKED THROUGH THE GLASSES FOR SNORKLING   SHE WAS SHOCKED RECOGNIZING ADOLF FALLING DOWN.
THE GIRL DIDN’ HAVE  TIME FOR ANY PROPER  REACTION AS HER ATTENTION WAS FOCUSED  ON THE DRAMATIC  PICTURE SHE SAW!   IT WAS NOT HARD TO GUESS THAT THE SUBSTANCE WAS BLOOD WHICH APPEARED FROM THE WOUND  ADOLF HAD GOT FROM THE CORAL WALL HE  PASSED WHEN FALLING. AND THE FISHES WERE... PIRANIAS...


DANA  REACHED HER HAND OUT  AND SAW FISHES    TURNING  ASIDE , SWAM   FROM THAT PLACE, AND SHE HAD FIRST GUESSED THAT IT WAS BLOOD, HAD QUICKLY SWAM TO THE PONTOON, ALMOST JUMPED OUT AND ONLY AFTER HAD FIGURED OUT THAT WHAT PIRANIAS WERE AIMING TO WAS BLOOD WHICH AS SHE HAD FOUND OUT  LATER APPEARED FROM T HE WOUND ADOLG HAD GOT WHEN FALLING ON  THE IMMENCELY  SHARP CORAL REEFS.
SO A BIT FRIGHTENED DANA HAD GOT TO THE SHORE AND AS SHE LOOKED TO THE SEA SHE SAW  WHO HAD   SUBCONSCIOUSLY MADE THAT ACT OF VENGEANCE FOR HER – THAT A FRIEND IN NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED.
Standing on the shore Dana glanced  forward and  saw someone  swimming  fast far away. She recognized the person.  It was her real friend, Cynthia.